Bread box



March 16, 1937. F. GAMACHE 2,073,614

BREAD BOX Filed March 19, 1936 Patented Mar. 16, 1937 AUNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE BREAD BOX Fernande Leona Gamache, Burlington, Vt.

Application March 19, 1936, Serial No. 69,708

2 Claims.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a box,intended primarily to contain bread but capable of being used for anyother purpose. The box is a foldable structure and 5 includes foldablebottom aps. One object of the invention is to provide novel means fortstopping the downward swinging movement of the bottom aps, so that thebottom flaps will remain within the contour of the side and end walls lof the box, thereby keeping the box in a rectangular shape, it beinglimpossible for the bottom members to fold downwardly beyond a horizontalposition and dump the contents of the box. Another object of theinvention is to reenforce l and strengthen the bottom flaps so that theywill withstand Wear. Another object of the invention is to provide novelflexible connections between the ends of the box and the bottom flap,the means for joining one of the exible members to one end of the boxbeing used, also, to hold one of the side walls and the correspondingend Wall together. Another object of the invention is so to constructthe box that it can be folded into compact form when not in use.

' 25 It is Within the province of the disclosure to improve generallyand to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the,invention appertains.

. With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds,

the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and inthe details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionlherein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 shows in perspective, a. boxconstructed in accordance with the invention, the closure being opened;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the box folded and collapsed; Fig.3 is a transverse section of the box as it appears when set up;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a fragmentalvertical section showing one ofthe bottom flaps folded upwardlyandinwardly;

501 Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

hingedly and foldably connected at 3 to the sides l. Bottom fiaps 4 arehingedly and foldably con@ nected at 5 to the sides I.

vFlexible members 6, made of canvas o-r other textile material areprovided. The exible mem- 5y bers 6 are connected throughout limitedareas I to the inner surfaces of the ends 2, adjacent to the sides I.The flexible members 6 have free portions 8 disposed above the bottomaps 4. As shown in Fig. 6, the exible members 6 are exl0 tended betweenthe ends 2 and the bottom members 4 and are extended upon `and securedto the lower surfaces of the bottom members.

In securing the flexible members 6 to the ends 2, to form the areas 1,adhesive material may l5 be employed, and, in addition, securingdevices, such .as rivets I2 may be employed. The flexible members 6 aresecured to the lower surfaces of the bottom flaps 4 adhesively, and alsoby means of securing devices, such as rivets I4. The bot- 20a tommembers 4 are wide enough so that their inner portions overlap somewhat,as shown at 9 in Fig. 3.

One of the sides I has a ton-gue II overlapped on the adjacent end 2 andsecured thereto ad- 25 hesively. In addition, some of the securingdevices I2 that connect one of the iiexible members 6 to thecorresponding end 2 also engage the tongue II and aid in holding it inplace.

The closure for vthe upper end of the box Bv 3o may be of any desiredform. For instance, it may embody top flaps I5, hingedly and foldablyconnected at I6 to the upper edges of the sides I, and top flaps I'I,hingedly and foldably connected at I8 to the upper edges of the ends 2.35

When the box is set up, the end flaps. Il are folded inwardly, and theflaps I5 are folded inwardly on top of the flaps I1, the flaps I5meeting at their inner edges, as shown at I9 in Fig. 3. 'Ihe bottom aps4 are swung down to approxi- 40 mately horizontal position and theirinner portions overlap, as shown at 9. The exible members 6 hold thebottom flaps 4 within the contour of the box, as shown in Fig. 6, andserve to keep the box of the rectangular form disclosed in Fig. 451 1.Moreover, by means of the flexible members Ii, the bottom flaps 4 areprevented from folding downwardly beyond the position of Fig. 3 anddumping the contents of the box.

, Because the flexible members 6 extend between the ends 2 and the endsof the bottom flaps 4, as shown in Fig. 6, because the bottom flaps 4overlap at their inner edges as shown at 9, and because the innerportions of the flexible strips 6 overlap a little, as shown in Fig. 3,the box is V55 perfectly and adequately sealed at its ends. Since theilexible members 6 extend beneath the bottom flaps Il, wear on thebottom flaps, due to shuffling the box about, is avoided, or, at least,is taken up by the textile members 6, which are better adapted to standWear than the cardboard or pasteboard flaps 4.

In order to collapse the box into the condition of Fig. 2, the flaps I'Iand I5 are folded upwardly into alignment, respectively, with the ends 2and with the sides I. The bottom flaps 4 are folded upwardly, inside ofthe box, against the sides I, as in Fig. 5. The box then is attened downat the hinged -and foldable connections shown at 3, and the collapsedbox appears as depicted in Fig. 2.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A box comprising oppositely-disposed sides and oppositely-disposedends hingedly and foldably connected to the sides, bottom flaps hingedlyand foldably connected to the sides, flexible members connectedthroughout limited areas to the inner surfaces of the ends, adjacent tothe sides,

and having free portions disposed above the bottom flaps, the flexiblemembers being extended out of the box between the ends and the bottommembers and being extended upon and secured to the lower outer surfacesof the bottom members, thereby to take the external wear imposed on thebottom members.

2. A box comprising oppositely-disposed sides and oppositely-disposedends hingedly and foldably connected to the sides, bottom flaps hingedlyand foldably connected to the sides, flexible members connectedthroughout limited areas to the inner surfaces of the ends, adjacent tothe sides, and having free portions disposed above the bottom iiaps, theflexible members being extended between the ends and the bottom membersand being extended upon and secured to the lower surfaces kof the bottommembers, one side being provided with a tongue overlapped on one end,and a seeming device connecting one exible member to the correspondingend and also engaging the tongue to hold it in place.

FERNANDE LEONA GAMACHE.

